Oh Joy Sex Toy: Comic Review of the Classic Hitachi

My passion for everything relating to the world of sex is rivaled only by my love of comics. Really, it was only a matter of time before I'd combine these two topics to bring you a weekly comic sharing my experiences with everything the sex industry has to offer. This week: The Hitachi! It's a classic.

Love the comic but I'm wondering...doesn't all this emphasis on masturbation go a bit to detriment to real human contact? I mean, yeah, an orgasm can be powerful with a vibrator but it's always better when it's shared. And also, to me, it's always better when electricity is not involved. Instead of locking yourself in a room with an electric tool (because in the end that's what it is), why not going out, meet people, kiss people, spread the love!!!
We need more love!

I think self-love can be just as important as love with another person. I think having intimacy with your body can be a truly beautiful, spiritual experience that is all about love (even if that love comes from the loud hum of a toy). Also, using toys with partners can be great too! For some folks its more intimate because the sensations are deeper and more pleasurable.

There are plenty of sites and articles devoted to dating and relationships. A regular column on masturbation is a mere drop in the ocean. Not to mention the fact that for many people (like me, a single mom), there are far fewer date nights than there are nights when we need some sexual release. I would love to be out meeting people and kissing, but I need to be at home. This article was helpful to me because it made me realize that I'm probably not in the market for this particular vibrator.

Some people CAN'T orgasm without the extra stimulation provided by tools. If they have partners, they can help wield those tools. But for those folks doing without additional manual stimulation means doing without orgasms. If you prefer non-electronic stimulation and are able to come without it, fine for you. But that does not make your orgasm somehow inherently superior to someone else's.

And there are some people can't climax with a partner. Some folks just can't come unless they are able to really concentrate on their own bodies and their own sensations, and another person is just too distracting or can't respond quickly or accurately enough to how they need to be touched at any given moment. There are couples who have gone their entire married lives without one partner having an orgasm until they discover sex toys and masturbation. Once the discovery is made, those couples learn how to incorporate it into their sex lives (having intercourse in a variety of positions as foreplay, followed by masturbating together to achieve orgasm, for example. Or the one partner who needs masturbation does it alone beforehand while the other watches or listens, then joins them for partnersex once their orgasm has been achieved.)

And what about those who haven't found partners yet? Are they supposed to grab one purely so we can have someone around to give us orgasms? Isn't that kind of demeaning to the other person and a REALLY bad reason to start a relationship? What about those for whom just "going out, meeting people, kissing people" isn't that easy or just hasn't panned out so far? Are they supposed to wait until prince/princess charming finally shows up to provide orgasms and deny themselves unless and until?

What about the subset of asexuals who enjoy sexual stimulation alone but don't WANT a partner?

Frankly, that whole attitude that one orgasm CAN be purer and more worthy somehow than another is really, REALLY detrimental. There's this whole underlying semi-concious cultural assumption about a hierarchy of sex, solo masturbation being down at the bottom. That is a REALLY toxic and dangerous attitude. It ties in to a lot of ugly things. For example, rape culture. The idea that sex is something you need to get from others and masturbation is an inferior activity for losers supports the anger and entitlement that some guys have when they think that women are withholding something they need.

Honestly, what our society needs is MORE emphasis on masturbation.

Masturbation is the only form of completely safe sex available (abstinence is the deliberate absence of sex). It has a variety of health benefits. It can be done alone or with partners. It can teach you what kind of touching and fantasizing you enjoy so that you know what to ask for when you are with a partner. It can be done by people in a long distance relationship. It can be done when one half of a couple is away or tired or sick or just not in the mood or really needs to get this macramé project done sorry. It can be done when you have a fantasy that your partner doesn't share and you want to enjoy your elaborate scenario about the women's hockey team and the robot without embarassment or feeling guilty because you're not giving your partner your full attention.

I'm not saying masturbation is BETTER than partnersex. (Except in the variety of situations mentioned when it totally is, FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE SITUATION AT HAND.) Sex is sex is sex is sex is sex. Period. But the ability to take care of one's own sexual needs and bring oneself to orgasm is a valuable sexual skill and just damn fun. Learning more about it and how to do it better is good for everyone.

This is exactly my experience since we busted "The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm" in the early days of feminism. I've had several generations of Magic Wand - they last a long time - over the decades. About five years ago there was a threat that Hitachi was going to quit making them and I blogged about how frantic I was to buy up a case. The only thing I'd add to this fabulous posting is that using the wand against the asshole is also utterly amazing (the towel barrier is always a good idea). Thanks for this.

Don't use it outside of North America!!!! It can't be used anywhere outside of the U.S. & Canada because of the different electrical currents in diff. countries. I brought it to Chile (because no one told me) and it blew a fuse in the apt & burned out the motor. It was one of the saddest things to happen ever.

Isn't that the case with most electronics? Whenever I go to Europe, I have to take outlet adapters to power stuff. I've never used one with a vibe, but maybe that would solve the problem, and save the fifty to seventy dollars they cost. Good luck with overseas orgasms!

Hitachi has been delivering the best toe-curling, full-body orgasms of my life for the last 20 years - all on my own or with a partner. I regularly give these as wedding gifts - I call them the marriage saver. Hell, even my husband loves the Hitachi! The orgasms I have bring him to crazy orgasmic heights too. Rock on Hitachi, rock on.

I've had mine for 20 years. It's the best. I have introduced several friends to it. Found some nice attachments at my favorite toy store in San Francisco and it just makes the ride a little more exciting. Long live my Magic Wand.

This comic is so hilarious, and strangely informative. I feel compelled to share it with all my friends. And bonus points for having the masturbator be a black girl with afro hair :) (I could relate... or is that a weird thing to admit on the internets)